McKeown Medical
167 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ
Why We Introduced Sofwave® at McKeown Medical: Real Patients, Real Results, and Honest Evidence
Investing in new technology for the clinic is something I take extremely seriously. Devices in aesthetics are expensive, heavily marketed, and often come with bold promises—but as all doctors know, not every device delivers in the real world the way it does in a manufacturer’s brochure. They often end up as expensive ornaments, gathering dust in a cupboard somewhere because we cannot recommend them to our patients.
Published by Dr Darren McKeown
Date posted — 20.11.25
At McKeown Medical, our philosophy is simple: we only offer treatments that genuinely work—and we only know that by testing them ourselves, on real patients, before ever recommending them.
This is the story of how Sofwave® made it into our practice… and why many other devices never do.
The Problem With New Aesthetic Technology
Every year, dozens of new “skin-tightening,” “lifting,” or “collagen-building” machines are launched. Many sound impressive. Many are backed by glossy videos, paid-for influencer endorsements, and manufacturer-funded studies.
But marketing doesn’t equal medicine.
Over the years, I’ve tested countless devices claiming to tighten skin, reduce wrinkles, lift the jawline, or rejuvenate the face. A small number have been excellent. A large number have been underwhelming. And some didn’t work at all.
We have a strict rule in our clinic:
If we can’t see the improvement with our own eyes on real patients, measured over time, we don’t buy it. We don’t offer it. We don’t recommend it.
Putting Sofwave® to the Test
When I first looked at Sofwave, I was cautiously optimistic. Ultrasound-based collagen heating is not new—but Sofwave claimed to deliver the right temperature, at the right depth, to stimulate collagen and elastin safely in the skin without damaging fat beneath it.
That last point was crucial.
Some energy-based devices can inadvertently heat fat pads, creating the very volume loss and “hollowness” patients fear. Sofwave, by design, targets only the dermis—not the deeper fat layer.
The science looked good. But I never rely on theory alone. So, as always, I asked the representative to bring the machine into the clinic so I could use it on real patients—patients I know, trust, and can follow carefully over the weeks and months that matter.
Meet Our Test Patient
One of the first people to try Sofwave® with us was a patient who was concerned about early signs of skin laxity—particularly around her jawline and neck. She wanted improvement but wasn’t ready for anything invasive.
She had the lower face and neck treated with Sofwave, exactly as we would deliver it in routine practice.
And then we waited.
Because with collagen-stimulating treatments, time tells the truth.
The Results: Before, 6 Weeks, and 12 Weeks
The reason we follow up for 12 weeks is that is the time it takes for collagen to remodel and the skin tightening to become evidence.
As you can see, there was a significant improvement over the 12 week period after treatment with Sofwave®. The patient was delighted—but more importantly, the results were exactly the kind of measurable improvement we look for before introducing any technology to the clinic.
Why Sofwave® Passed, and Many Other Devices Don’t
I want to be transparent about something:
For every device we bring into the clinic, there are several that we test and choose not to invest in.
Sometimes the results are too subtle.
Sometimes the downtime doesn’t match the promise.
Sometimes patients feel the discomfort outweighs the benefit.
Sometimes the manufacturer’s claims simply don’t hold up in real life.
Our job isn’t to buy machines: it’s to get results. I am very glad that Sofwave® delivered the kind of results I felt confident standing behind.
Why We Now Offer Sofwave® at McKeown Medical
After testing the tech and seeing the results in our own patients, we made the decision to introduce Sofwave® into our practice.
We chose it because:
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it targets only the skin, not the fat
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it stimulates natural collagen and elastin
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clinical results are predictable, measurable, and safe
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improvement continues for weeks and months
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our own patient testing showed genuine, visible tightening
This aligns with the way we practice medicine: evidence-based, patient-centred, and results-driven.
If you’re curious about whether Sofwave® might be a good option for you, we’d encourage you to book a consultation with one of our clinicians to discuss your aesthetic goals in more detail.
Book your consultation
Contact us today to arrange a consultation and discover which treatment option is right for you.
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We’ve been in our new home for a year now and I thought this would be a good time to remind you just how special it is with a little video tour.
It’s been a remarkable year for us in our new home; we’ve introduced new doctors, new treatments, new services and our team continues to grow from strength to strength - always striving to provide more and better for our wonderful patients.
Enjoy the tour!
About last night… It was time once again for our annual Christmas celebration with this absolute bunch of legends. We were a little earlier than usual this year so we could have has many people available as possible, and the evening did not disappoint.
A few sore heads this morning, but absolutely worth it to celebrate the hard work this team dedicate to our patients day in, day out all year round. I am very proud to have the undisputed best team on the planet. Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄
Fine lines etched into the skin around the mouth - this is a common problem and in this patient`s case she had what we call ‘actinic elastosis’, whereby abnormal bands of elastin build up in the skin as a result of years of previous sun exposure.
When patients have this condition, the gold standard way of dealing with it is fully ablative laser resurfacing. It’s an intense treatment with two weeks of downtime afterwards, but the results are spectacular - just like in this lovely patient.
The after photo is three weeks after the treatment and you can see that the skin is still a little pink, which will continue to fade over the next few months.
The patient is already delighted with the result - what do you think?
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
At least according to Michael Buble, who’s been on repeat in the clinic this week. The decorations are up and we are officially in ‘our season’. The clinic has been packed with everyone having their skin polished in time to make it on the nice list. If you’ve still to make a pre-Christmas appointment, we’ve still got some spaces left for your festive glow up.
Ho ho ho everyone… It’s time for Santa!!!! 🎅🏻
Ok, so this is the one we’ve all been waiting for. Sofwave : the results, in our hands!!!
This is the first patient we treated with @sofwave.uk when we were assessing the machine and deciding whether or not to buy it. These are the patient`s own photos that she kept throughout the healing journey.
Now do you see why we are so excited?! 🤩
#sofwave
#sofwavemed
#SUPERB
#sofwavemedical
#sofwavejourney
#sofwaveexperience
We are now well up and running with @sofwave.uk , much to the excitement of the whole team in the clinic (we are all queuing up to get a shot!)
This is a little video of the treatment being performed, so you can see what the process is like and there is even a little early preview of the results at the end.
One of the best parts is that there is no downtime, so we can still fit it in before Christmas without worrying about redness in the party season!
What do you think?
#sofwave
#sofwavemed
#SUPERB
#sofwavemedical
#sofwavejourney
#sofwaveexperience
We`re absolutely delighted to introduce you to our lovely new doctor, Dr Sharon.
With over 30 years’ experience as a medical doctor and a decade specialising in aesthetic medicine, Dr Sharon brings exceptional skill, warmth and a deeply patient-centred approach to every treatment.
She joins us with extensive expertise in injectables, including advanced toxin and filler techniques, and will also be leading our regenerative aesthetics offering with Ameela polynucleotides and Ameela Exosomes - two of the most exciting developments in skin rejuvenation. She will also be offering Profhilo and Profhilo Structura!
We have a super exciting new addition to the clinic this week, with the launch of @sofwavemed.
Sofwave is an incredible skin tightening technology that has been around for five years now. I am never first to the queue with new devices because so many don’t deliver and disappear within a couple of years of launch. Sofwave however has continued to grow in popularity over the years and earlier this year I decided I had to find out what all the fuss was about.
I asked the reps to bring it round for us to play with and we treated a few of our patients to see what the results were like and, three months later not only was I signing the purchase order I was asking how quickly I could get one of the reps round to treat me 😊
Sofwave works using ultrasound waves to create a thermal injury to the deeper layers of the skin, initiating a healing response which over a period of several months results in a skin tightening effect.
I have trialled a number of ultrasound devices in the past and have never bought any of them because I was always disappointed in the results. There are a couple of things that I think makes Sofwave different.
First, it only goes to 1.5mm which means all of the energy is being delivered to the skin. Most other devices go down to 3 or 4mm, by which point you are past the skin and into the fat which can, if anything, have a worsening effect on volume loss. The second difference that I think is important is that it treats a bigger proportion of the surface area of the skin.
We have a new page on our website where you can read all about Sofwave and how it works, but for now, enjoy some of these before and afters that the manufacture supplied.
Let me know what you think!
Lower eyelid surgery is one of the more challenging operations in aesthetic practice. If we can avoid it, we normally try to help our patients chose non-surgical paths using laser or fillers.
However, there are some situations where it can’t be avoided, especially when there is excess fat under the eye causing puffiness. This is exactly what this patient had and so the very talented @bramhallplasticsurgery performed an upper and lower blepharoplasty for him. Whilst we often do the upper eyelids without doing the lower eyelids, usually when we do the lower eyelids we always need to do the uppers too.
This patient is now a couple of months out from surgery and loving his result. What do you think?
Join us on Instagram to keep up with the latest results and expert insights from the clinic team.
Our dedicated team of experts are on hand to help you as you navigate your journey with us.
When you first make contact with us you will be assigned your own personal Patient Relationship Manager. They’ll start by understanding your needs and liaising with our doctors to book you an appointment with the most suitable specialist. For any additional questions or needs, you can message or call them anytime and they’ll be delighted to assist you. Our entire team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible treatment and care tailored to your needs.
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